An accident at work is when you, as a worker, are the victim of an unintended incident which causes you injury, which happened at your place of work or elsewhere whilst you were carrying out work-related duties e.g.

  • You slip on a wet floor in your workplace
  • You cut your hand on machinery that hasn’t got a safety guard over the moving parts
  • You fall from a ladder or scaffolding whilst working
  • A  forklift truck in the factory/supermarket/ warehouse where you work knocks you down

‘Work- related’ is defined by RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations, as ‘work related’ if any of the following were a significant factor in causing the accident:

  • The method of working.
  • The machinery, substances, plant or equipment used

The condition of the premises where the accident took place